Well friends, Wednesday has opened bright and sparkling and promises to be a hot one, not like the last two days that have been comparatively cool. But it’s summer and that’s what we expect…until it gets too hot. (smile) And this morning we have something to share from our One Year Book of Bible Promises with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin that will break down all the walls and barriers and impediments that we have built up around ourselves and those with whom we interact. It’s appropriately titled, ‘LISTENING LOVE!’
Yeh mih people, it’s LOVE that listens. So please pray with me: ‘Listening LOVE is one of the greatest gifts we can give our mates, our families, and our friends. Too often we settle for surface talk or icy silences, for monologues or cutoffs, for defences. What a difference when we follow the principles of Listening LOVE. Listening LOVE is courteous. It says… I will strive not to interrupt or outguess you. I will not finish your sentences or break into your thoughts. Listening LOVE is attentive. It says… I will give you my undivided attention. I will not turn you off or leave you isolated.
Listening LOVE is patient. It says… I will not rush you or insist on a right-now conclusion. Listening LOVE is kind. It says… I will not shame you with sarcastic retorts. I will not belittle you. Listening LOVE is objective. It says… I will try to be informative rather than opinionated. I will not attempt to think for you. Listening LOVE is unselfish. It says… I will guard against overconfidence and trite “spiritual” answers. Listening LOVE is prayerful. It says… I will pray for insight, for wisdom, and for gentle reactions.’
Oh my people, Listening LOVE is indeed difficult to practice when all the problems of the world are weighing us down! But please pray that there will be Listening LOVE between the duchess and I today, (smile) because I’ve already turned on the A/C after it was off for the last two days, and that’s usually a source of contention between us. But although practicing Listening LOVE is difficult, it is indeed possible, if we took our time and thought about our reactions before we engaged them. Unfortunately though, that’s also a difficult thing in this new and modern world of speed and now for now decision making.
And I guess that’s why Bruh David prayed this solemn prayer at the end of Psalm 19, which is our Bit and also the Bible Verse associated with today’s writing. ‘Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength (my rock), and my redeemer.’ Yes my brethren, it’s only with the Lord’s help that we can truly practice Listening LOVE! The world and the sinful nature that exists within us do not allow us to be patient, thoughtful, kind, courteous and all the other things that Listening LOVE requires.
I guess that’s why Cousin Sol also wisely proclaimed: ‘Hatred stirreth up strifes: but LOVE covereth all sins.’ (Prov. 12:19) And again why he later on declared (yeahhh!) ‘Better is a dinner of herbs (vegetables) where LOVE is, than a stalled ox (fatted calf) and hatred therewith.’ (Prov. 15:17) Oh my people, LOVE is such a wonderful thing! And it ought to be, since it’s the most valuable attribute of our magnanimous and magnificent God! ‘And now abideth faith, hope, LOVE, these three; but the greatest of these is LOVE.’ (1 Cor. 13:13)
But since the fall of man, when sin entered our lives, true LOVE seems to be so difficult for us to practice. And the great efforts of the fallen angel Lucifer, now his satanic majesty, against it doesn’t help us in the least. Satan hates LOVE because he knows that LOVE comes from God. and he doesn’t like it one bit when John says: ‘Beloved, let us LOVE one another: for LOVE is of God; and every one that LOVETH is born of God, and knoweth God.’ (1 John 4:7)
But as true believers in Christ, that is exactly what we are called to do! All the greed and selfishness of the world should not be showing up in the sons and daughters of Almighty God. Sadly, however, it is showing up to a great extent because we are still too contaminated by the ways of the world and we are not seeking the righteousness of God as much as we ought to. And a very good example of how we ought to behave is given by Bruh David when the prophet Nathan eventually accosted him re his adultery with Bathsheba and the premeditated murder of her husband Uriah.
He prayed: ‘O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall show forth thy praise. For thou desirest not sacrifice; else I would give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.’ (Ps. 51) Yeh friends, our sin nature is responsible for a lot of stuff. But please listen to these wise words from the scholars.
‘Sin nature: 51:5. When the word sin appears in the singular, it usually denotes the sin nature of humanity. This sin nature, which everyone possesses, influences us to sin and is the source of lust. It negatively affects people’s minds (Rom. 1:28). Illustration: The sin nature is partially responsible for blinding people’s thoughts and understanding, so that they cannot perceive spiritual things (1 Cor. 2:14). Although our sin nature continues to operate within us, it was judged when Christ died (Rom. 6:6-7).
Application: Until Christ returns, we must live in the strength of the new man, to overcome the sinful desires arising from the sin nature. We cannot eradicate our sin nature, but we can allow the Holy Spirit to control us so that we do not give in to temptation. (First Ref. Gen. 6:5; Primary Ref. Rom. 3; cf. Rom. 5:12).’
Ah friends, life can be somewhat difficult at times, but with Christ in us, and we in Him… Oh we can do any and all things through His most wonderful strength and grace and mercy. So please, let’s not fall or falter by anything evil that comes against us. And please read those scriptures the scholars outlined above, because they are so educational and uplifting, and do we ever need uplifting stuff in these turbulent times! Now let’s go home declaring (oh yeahhh!) our Wednesday Wail, letting all and sundry know of our serious, sincere and most excellent position in Christ Jesus!
All together now: ‘Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: I’m so glad to be alive on this Wednesday! Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: Thank God the breath of life is still flowing through me on this Wednesday! I am halfway home. My hands are fixed securely on the plough, and I’m not turning back. I’m not looking back at the past, not focusing on what has gone before. But my eyes are fixed straight ahead; straight ahead to a glorious future with Jesus. Glory Hallelujah!’
And if we endure to the end, we WILL experience that glorious future with Christ! Much LOVE!
…if you don’t know Christ…you’re missing real life…the best life possible…
P.S. Sorry it’s late, but I had to go out the street and do some time sensitive stuff first. But it’s a good read. (smile) Much LOVE!
Today’s Scrip-Bit 27 January 2019 Philippians 2:9.
27 Jan 2019 Leave a comment
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: a crown of glory, a good man, a loving man, a name, a righteous man, abominations, above every other name, accept it, All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name, appearance, as a aman, at his feet faal, at the name of Jesus, became obedient, blot out our sins, bring forth, by his grace, Christ died for the ungodly, come to Him, communication with Almighty God, crown him, dare to die, Edward Perronet, every kindred, every knee should bow, every tongue confess, every tribe, finite minds, found in fashion, given him a name, glory hallelujah, glory to the Lamb, God demonstrates his love, God hath highly exalted him, hail him, he humbled himself, hear Jesus say, in due time, in heaven, Jesus, Jesus christ is Lord, join the everlasting song, let angels prostrate fall, Lord and Saviour, Lord of all, LOVE, merciful God, missionary in India, obedience, obeisance, omnipotent, on a silver platter, paid the penealty, paid the price, puny, ransomed of the fall, repent, sacrifice, saves you, seed of Israel, selfless works, shotgun rider, slain, sweeter words, terrestial ball, the cross at Calvary, the royal diadem, thou good and faithful servant, to the glory of God the Father, unselfish, unto death, we owed, welcome, wisdom, without strength, yet sinners
Well friends, it’s Sunday and there’s snow on the ground. But I’m not going to let it stop me from going to church for two Sundays in a row. And anyway I don’t think it’s all that much, although you never know how much it really is until you step out in it.
But between my trusty chariot ‘Blue’, my most amazing shotgun rider, Jesus, and myself, we ought to make it there and back safely. If we don’t, then something’s terribly wrong with this picture! (smile)
But let’s get to matters nuh, some softening up of our hearts to receive His holy word, by singing some awesome praise and thanksgiving to our heavenly Father, that He so obviously deserves.
And today’s hymn is a very popular one, sung by many Christian denominations. It’s titled ‘All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name.’ Glory to God! And so in fact should His Name be lifted up because of His great, unselfish, selfless works.
They also say that this hymn is often called the “National Anthem of Christendom.’ And it very fittingly deserves that title too. Apparently one Edward Perronet wrote the lyrics while he was a missionary in India, some where in the mid 18th century, and there have been several tunes associated with it. But let’s sing the one we know and LOVE!
So in unison, powerfully, in warmth of heart and true sincerity, let’s sing. (smile) ‘All hail the power of Jesus’ Name! Let angels prostrate fall; Bring forth the royal diadem, And crown him, crown him, crown him, And crown him Lord of all. Ye seed of Israel’s chosen race, Ye ransomed of the fall, Hail him who saves you by his grace, And crown him, crown him, crown him, And crown him Lord of all.
Let ev’ry kindred, ev’ry tribe, On this terrestrial ball, To him all majesty ascribe, And crown him, crown him, crown him, And crown him Lord of all. O that with yonder sacred throng We at his feet may fall; We’ll join the everlasting song, And crown him, crown him, crown him, And crown him Lord of all.’
Yes mih people! What a fitting name and position for our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ – LORD OF ALL! And He’s definitely earned it! As mere mortals, we can’t offer up any more fitting praise because our minds are so puny and finite, thus our vocabulary is small.
But we all know and greatly appreciate the fact that He died on the cross at Calvary to save us, to blot out our awful sins and pay the penalty we owed, thus allowing us to once again have serious and sincere communication with Almighty God!
What a mighty and LOVING man He was…and still is…and ALWAYS will be! NO ONE ELSE could have borne our sins…and please note, He didn’t have to, but because the Father, who LOVED us so much, asked Him to, He did!
Fellow believers, I don’t know if we truly realize how much our heavenly Father, our Creator really LOVES us nuh, or the awesome act that Jesus performed on our behalf. Here how Bruh Paul puts it to the Roman church nuh: ‘For when we were yet without strength, in due time (at the right time) Christ died for the ungodly.
For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure (perhaps) for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his LOVE (demonstrates His own LOVE) toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.’ (Rom.5:6-8)
Ah friends, that ought to drive home to us just how much our Creator and His wonderful Son LOVE and want us to spend eternity with them! Most of the other supposed deities would expect us to repent and come to them first…but not our great, omnipotent and merciful God! He paid the price for our sins first, before asking us to repent and come to Him! What a wonderful God we serve and worship my faithful brethren!
However, church is calling now, I’ve got to go and do a li’l worshipping myself (smile) so I’ll have to leave you for a spell. Soon come…
We back! The troika made it safely there and back. Some of the roads weren’t clean when we left, but most were by the time we returned. And most importantly, a good time was had at church; we raised up Jesus’ name, just like we’re doing in the Bit today. Yes friends, there’s nothing more refreshing and worthwhile than thanking and praising Jesus for all He’s done for us, is still doing, and has promised to continue doing.
Here is this awesome scripture from Bruh Paul to the Philippians explaining the Father’s response to the Son’s selfless sacrifice. ‘And being found in fashion (appearance) as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
That at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow, of (those) things in heaven, and (those) things in the earth, and (those) things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.’ (Phil.2:8-11)
And all God’s people shouted a loud, proud and grateful: ‘Glory Hallelujah! Glory to the Lamb that was slain for our abominations! All praise and honour to His gracious Name that is now exalted above every other name, in heaven on earth, and even beneath the earth! And also that every knee should bow to Him and call Him Lord!’
Oh friends, yuh see how the Father lifted up Jesus for being obedient to His will? Well, He will do the same for each and everyone of us who shows Him obeisance and obedience. We don’t have to sacrifice our lives, because Jesus has done that once and for all. We just have to believe in His Son, read His holy word and be obedient to it. And a crown of glory will eventually be in the offing for us.
It’s all laid out there for us on a silver platter; we just have to make the decision to receive it. Let’s show some wisdom and accept it today nuh! Much LOVE!
…there are no sweeter words to the ear…than on entering heaven…to hear Jesus say…Welcome, thou good and faithful servant…
SCRIP-BITS 